


the road less travelled

by dominopes



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 10:18:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12430719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dominopes/pseuds/dominopes
Summary: Jim honestly never thought something like this would happen, but here he was,





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i got dared to do this

Over the past couple of years, the office had become Jim's own personal hell. 

 

He meant to transfer to the Stamford branch so he wouldn't have to stick around and watch Pam marry Roy, but as his luck would have it, Stamford ended up getting merged with the Scranton branch; Just in time for Pam to announce that she and Roy were expecting. What a welcome back present.

Michael always said Jim was lucky, but Michael didn't know that Jim spent the better part of four years pining for Pam, hoping, wishing, praying that maybe she loved him back. For a while there, he thought she did. He really, sincerely believed that Pam returned his feelings but she made it very clear on Casino night.

“Jim, I'm with Roy. You're just my friend- God, can't a guy and a girl just be friends?”

She'd looked so frustrated and betrayed. Pam had told him that she was hurt that this whole time she'd been girlfriendzoned, that she actually believed that maybe someone liked her as a person and for a reason other than wanting to get into her pants or make her some stay at home wife.

 

“You're just like all of those other guys in the office. I'm engaged, there's boundaries, Jim, just- God, you just ruined this.”

 

They'd never been the same since then. 

 

He'd tried to salvage their friendship, but every time he reached out to Pam she gave him the cold shoulder, brushing him off like they'd never been close at all. 

 

Everyone in the office knew about it- Dwight often mocked him for it, Angela just rolled her eyes, wondering why he'd ever liked a 'harlot' like Pam in the first place, and Michael thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Others tried to be helpful, like Phyllis and Oscar but over time, even they groaned at the mere mention of Pam's name. 

 

There was no one else left in the office that wanted to listen to his woes. By now, they all agreed that he should get over it.

 

Jim was on break right now, but rather than sit in the break room with all of those nosy traitors, he'd opted to stand outside and smoke his afternoon cigarette. It was a nasty habit he picked up after one of his roommates buddies mentioned it helped to relieve stress.

“You know Jim, smoking's bad for you,” a loud and obnoxious voice calls. 

 

Jim looks over to see Kevin approaching him, hands deep in his pockets.

 

“Can I have one?” Kevin asks, looking dumb as ever. That might actually just be his face.

 

Jim looks away from him, scuffing his shoes against the asphalt. “You literally just said smoking's bad.”

 

“Oh, did I? Well gee, Jim, I didn't know you were a scientist,” Kevin huffs, turning on his heel and starting to leave.

 

“Kev, wait,” Jim lifts his head, walking after his slow witted companion. “I'm sorry, man. I'm just a little down right now. You can have a cigarette.”

 

Kevin stares at Jim, watches him the whole time as he digs through his pockets for another cig and as soon as Jim finally finds one and retrieves his lighter, decides it's time to say, “I don't want a cigarette.”

 

Jim blinks slowly, wondering if he's finally lost it but shakes it off`, offering Kevin a sly grin. “Okay Kev. Whatever you say.”

 

“What did I say?” Kevin retorts, making Jim laugh.

 

“Forget it. How's your girlfriend?”

 

Kevin goes silent at this, not meeting Jim's eyes. After about a minute, he answers, “She called the wedding off because I'm not smart enough for her or something.”

 

Jim suddenly feels like a dick for asking. “I am so sorry I asked--”

 

“It's cool Jimothy. I'm sad now, but there's plenty of fish at the zoo.”

 

“Actually, it's plenty of fish in the se-”

 

“Jim, you're a real pal. Thanks for meeting me out here and listening to me vent,” Kevin pulls Jim into a bear hug, squeezing him before releasing, “You're the best.” And with that he walks away.

 

Jim watches him go, confused by what's just taken place but in a way he feels...whole again. Kevin was a strange man. He was dumb and could be inconsiderate and was the complete opposite of Pamela Beesly.

 

And strangely enough, Jim can feel the same butterflies he once had for Pam stirring inside him, but now they're directed at Kevin.

 

“What the fuck,” Jim whispers out loud.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim had identified as a straight man his entire life.

 

Sure, he'd joked about “going gay” for Justin Timberlake a couple of times, but he didn't actually mean it. It was just another way to say that Justin Timberlake was good looking.

 

Never in a million years did he ever think he'd have a thing for Kevin Jaye Malone of all people.

 

Kevin Malone..

 

Jim Malone…

 

James Duncan Malone. That has a nice ring to it.

 

“Wait, what am I saying?” Jim mutters out loud, catching Dwight's attention.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Huh? Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud.”

 

Dwight presses his lips into a hard line, pushing his glasses into place. Before the whole Pam thing, Dwight would have suspected that Jim was on to something- And he would have been right. Jim used to live for messing with Dwight, but nowadays, Jim just didn't have the energy for it.

 

But apparently, he did have the energy to absentmindedly stare at Kevin when he was supposed to be making sales. 

 

He used to sneak glances at Pam all the time, but this was just downright creepy. For more than one reason.

 

He finds himself being endeared by the way Kevin attempts to balance his pen on his upper lip, how he laughs at dumb videos he's found online. 

 

Has Kevin's smile always been that radiant?

 

“What the hell is wrong with me?” Jim whispers.

 

“I wish I knew,” Dwight scoffs, shooting Jim a look.

–

Jim didn't have any friends outside of work he could talk to about his sick infatuation with Kevin Malone. He didn't really have many options within the workplace either. Except for one, which happened to be Jim's best bet at figuring out what was going on.

 

Oscar Martinez; Dunder Mifflin's token gay and Kevin's best work friend.

 

At first, when Jim approaches him after work, Oscar gets a tired look on his face, saying, “Jim, I've got a lot of love for you, man, but if it's about Pam, I don't want to hear it.”

 

“It's not,” Jim states, “It's about uh...Oscar, I'm kind of… I might not be as straight as I originally thought.” He says the last part quietly, and Oscar looks surprised for a split second before he starts chuckling. 

 

“Nice try, Jim but I'm not going to be your new Dwight.”

 

“What?”

 

“I know you're just trying to mess with me. Face it, Jim, you're straighter than a fraternity boy at a basketball game.”

 

“That's what I thought too, but something happened today and now I'm not so sure.”

 

“Yeah, okay, sure. Listen, I know you're probably a little rusty since it's been so long since you pulled one of your pranks, but this is just sad.” He pats Jim's shoulder, shaking his head and laughing. “Better luck next time, buddy.”

 

Jim didn't want to have to go into detail about this but watching Oscar's retreating back, he feels he has no choice. “I stared at Kevin all day today and I thought about how good Jim Malone sounded!”

 

Oscar whips his head around to stare at Jim, looking horrified.

 

Fifteen minutes later, and they're sitting across from each other at a diner, engaged in an impromptu therapy session about sexuality and feelings.

 

“So you think that you're having romantic feelings for Kevin?” Oscar sounds absolutely baffled, and maybe a little confused that Jim “Pam's Number One Fan” Halpert could have feelings for anyone else.

 

“I know,” Jim agrees, “I was surprised too.”

 

“So what do you think you're going to do about it? I mean, I don't think Kevin's gay.”

 

“Well, I didn't think I was gay either until a few hours ago. I don't really know what to do.”

 

“You could ask him out on a date,” Oscar suggests.

 

“How?”

 

Oscar sighs, rolling his eyes. “Exactly the same way you would a woman? Gay dating isn't that different from straight dating.”

 

“Yeah, you're right,” Jim breathes, suddenly anxious. The memory of Pam's betrayed face flashes in his mind, making him remember just how bad his last failed love confession had messed him up.

 

It must show on his face because Oscar reaches out to pat him on his arm comfortingly, saying, “Just be yourself and you'll be fine. Use your good ole Jim Halpert charm on him.”

Jim smiles wryly, “Thanks Oscar. You're a really nice guy. I kind of wish you would have been the one I like.”

 

Oscar scoffs, “In your dreams, Jim. You're nowhere near my type.”

 

–

 

The next day, Jim ends up waiting for Kevin outside in the parking lot for about 17 minutes. By the time he finally comes out, everyone else has already taken off and he looks awfully surprised to see Jim.

 

“Jim?”

 

“Uh, hey Kev,” Jim greets, walking toward the taller man and feeling his heart pound in his chest. “I've been waiting for you.”

 

“Why?” Kevin asks, sounding more confused than usual.

 

“I wanted to see if you, uh...” Jim takes a deep breath, “You wanna grab a bite to eat, maybe see a movie after?”

 

Kevin quirks an eyebrow, “Are you paying?”

 

When Jim nods, Kevin breaks out into a huge grin, closing the distance between them to clap Jim on the back. “Well let's go then!”

 

Kevin talks Jim's ear off the whole drive to Chili's, rambling about some “””clever”””” trick he'd played on Angela and laughing way too loud at his own jokes. And for the first time in a long time, Jim feels at ease.


	3. Chapter 3

Kevin wolfs down his food eagerly, unaware of the lovesick gaze Jim is giving him.

 

Everything Kevin does seems like pure magic to Jim, the way he shamelessly eats like a pig as if he's the only person in the room, his confidence in everything he does. In a way, Kevin was even fearless, because yeah, sure, Jim used to be infamous for messing with Dwight but messing with Angela was a whole other ballgame. It was like juggling chainsaws, since unlike Dwight, Angela was sharper with her words and far less gullible, but still Kevin kept at it, like poking a sleeping bear.

 

Maybe that was part of the attraction.

 

Him and Kevin weren't so different- They both liked messing with people at least.

 

His heart clenches a bit when he remembers that Pam enjoyed it as well, throwing that thought away. Pam wasn't even working at Dunder Mifflin anymore, there was no use dwelling on someone who'd never returned his feelings.

 

He wishes he could just snap his fingers and forget that he ever ruined their friendship, that he made her feel the way he had but he can't.

 

Jim made Pam feel uncomfortable, he'd even betrayed her in a way. All Pam had wanted was one male friend that didn't want to “fuck her” and even though it went deeper than that for Jim, it was how she felt and he lost her completely.

 

Maybe Jim doesn't love her romantically anymore, but he does miss his best friend. The memory of losing his partner in crime makes him wary to reach out to Kevin, but damn it, Jim Halpert's a risk taker and so he does it anyway.

 

“So you like messing with Angela, huh? Think I could get in on that?” Jim asks smoothly, chin in hand.

 

Kevin replies with his mouth full, “Depends. What do you have in mind?”

 

–

 

The best idea Jim and Kevin can come up with is to put a whoopee cushion on Angela's chair. It's Kevin that suggests this, after rejecting several of Jim's more elaborate schemes.

 

“Sweet and simple,” Jim observed, looking rather impressed. “I like it.”

 

Or at least he liked it until Angela started screaming at Kevin about how disgusting he was for doing that to her. Although Kevin looked mostly unaffected by her harsh words, Jim still felt an angry burning in his chest.

 

Who the hell was she to yell at Kevin for a harmless little prank? 

 

“Actually, Angela, it was my idea,” he calls out to her, keeping his voice as steady as he can manage.

 

She whips her head around to glare at him, her face an angry shade of pink. “Really Jim?! Grow up! What are you, 5?”

 

“He's lying, it was my idea. He just went along with it,” Kevin points out.

 

Angela huffs, waving her arms around as she rants, “Oh great! That's just perfect! Dumb and dumber are working together now, that should be interesting!” 

 

“Your face is interesting!” Kevin fist pumps after he says this, whispering yes to himself as if he's delivered the burn of the decade. A stupid, lovesick grin spreads across Jim's face as he watches this, his heart pounding in his chest.

 

Over the course of five months, Kevin and Jim grow so close that they're practically attached to the hip. They eat lunch together, Kevin goes outside with Jim during his smoke breaks and as time passes on, Jim finds it in himself to quit smoking and they end up spending that time passing notes to each other instead, Jim using more clever ways to send his messages, flying them as paper airplanes or tossing it to him in a little paper ball. Kevin just marches on over to Jim's desk like he owns the place and slaps the note down on his desk. 

 

Every now and again they'll pull a shitty prank together and it's not well executed like his ones with Pam were but they're still fun and although they have a bittersweet feeling to them, it makes the office that much more bearable for Jim. 

 

He finally feels like he can move on from Pam.


End file.
